


Billy Hargrove and the little army doom

by cookiedoug



Series: Drabbles & headcanons collection [5]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23705728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookiedoug/pseuds/cookiedoug
Summary: "So what? You think you can do it better?" Billy lowers his arms, the kids doing the same a second later, like a slightly lagged mirror.“I do”
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Series: Drabbles & headcanons collection [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1665568
Comments: 2
Kudos: 53
Collections: Numerous OTPS Infinite Fandoms





	Billy Hargrove and the little army doom

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this idea by @allaboardtheussharringrove on Tumblr
> 
> "If Billy teaches swimming lessons at the pool, and little Holly Wheeler was at the pool, and Mrs. Wheeler said he’s good with kids, then was Billy giving Holly swimming lessons?!"

It's Wednesday morning and Billy is in the middle of one of his daily lessons, the one with the five-year-olds. He's explaining some basics now they're ready to leave the board, the kids mimicking his movements in some kind of dazed attention, wiggling their arms like uncoordinated baby ducks. And Billy is, ok, maybe it is getting harder and harder not to laugh because they're a bit adorable in a, you know, _goofy_ kind of way. And he's shouting some corrections some _Caleb! I don't recall saying anything about jumping!'_ s, whistling at his round-headed flock, having a decently good time when he catches Steve Harrington watching him from the side of the pool. 

He's frowning. Arms crossed. Billy manages to restrain himself fo fifteen solid seconds before snapping.

"Is there a reason why you can't stop staring at me, Harrington?" he asks, not moving, keeping him in the periphery of his eye.

"Actually, _it is_ " and well, that's surprising.

"Would you mind sharing it with me?" Billy asks, shaking his head when Caleb starts to jump again. Ava Sinclair elbows him, aiming for the ribs, and Billy nods to himself, approvingly. He's trying to look as uninterested in Steve as he can muster. Keeps moving his arms to the kids.

Steve's face scrunches up, as if he has just tasted something bitter. Billy looks flawless today. He has made sure. Even his hair is still dry, shiny and perfectly styled. So he doesn't get the face, really.

" _Nngggg_. I've seen how you swim before and. Don't you think-" pauses, waves a hand in the general direction of nothing" Don't you think your style is a little like, _stiff_?

He's gotta be joking. Billy can't read his expression but he's gotta be joking. It is true that Billy is not _exactly_ qualified for the Job. But Mr. Harris never asked for credentials. And Billy heard Steve was the star of the swimming team, or something, right back before he decided to throw off his old amazing King of the School life in exchange for extreme babysitting. But Billy knows what he's doing. And Steve is a grade-A asshole, almost as bad as Billy, he's just so much better at hiding it most of the time.

Billy _knows_ he's messing with him. 

"So what? You think you can do it better?" Billy lowers his arms, the kids doing the same a second later, like a slightly lagged mirror.

“I do”

Ooook, thinks Billy, wondering why it looks like Steve is trying to pick on a fight, but then he's taking off his flip flops and shirt and _jumping_ into the pool, coming right where they are in a few strides, _in the middle in his goddamn class_ , and sliding behind Billy and _what the fuck_?

"What are you _doing_?" tries to turn around but Steve takes him by the waist, harder than Billy thought he would, _keeps him still_. The kids are looking at them in an awed, open-mouthed surprise, as if Steve just came into the water to defy his rightful God.

And well, that is, in fact, what he is doing, even if what he says is that:

"I'm teaching you. So you can teach them" he says it like it should be obvious, like he doesn't get _why_ Billy is even asking and _oh_ , he’s so good at this piss-each-other-off game they have going on, but Billy is better.

"Didn't think you were this eager at _teaching_ me anything" he purrs it, just like he knows it will annoy him the most, but to his surprise, Steve simply ignores him, like he's long been vaccinated against Billy and doesn't affect him anymore. 

"You're _hunched_ " Steve puts a hand on his chest and presses, making Billy curve his back slightly, align his shoulders with his feet, he feels the warmth of Steve's chest against his skin on the barest of touches "You gotta keep your spine safe" he says, voice near his ear and Billy's heart takes a fucking somersault inside his ribcage. 

"C'mon, keep talking to me like that, pretty boy. You're the _sweetest_ " he says, harsh, but Steve just takes his wrists and tugs up, making him lift his arms again, pressing a bit so they flex more than Billy is used to at the elbows, and then guiding them alternatively around, "See? It’s better like this. Will give you more traction" he's flush against Billy's back, soft, heart pounding, and Billy's absolutely not blushing, not in front of the kids, not even if Steve can’t see him.

Billy. Is. Not.

"But that-" Caleb says, squinting at them "Isn't that the same thing he was doing?"

"Yeah" Holly Wheeler agrees, pastel blue cap coming slightly up her head as she frowns "It looks exactly the same" 

Billy feels a sudden rush of affection for the kids. 

"Yeah, isn’t it, Harrington?” moves his head to the side, almost whispers “Because you aren’t just making up an excuse to grope me, do you?"

Steve's voice sinks low, teasing, when he replies.

"You should watch that mouth, Hargrove. There are kids in here"

And wow. _Wow_. Was that flirting? It _sounded_ like flirting. 

Can't definitely be flirting.

"And you're mean" Billy hears Ava Sinclair says. Looks back at the kids. There’re all frowning at Steve, the five of them. “You can’t go telling people they're _hunched_. That’s disrespectful"

She looks defensive and annoyed and Billy would hug her, if he was the kind of person that shows, you know, emotion.

"Did you hear, Steve? The kids got you all figured out"

Steve huffs a laugh.

"You sound pretty proud for someone that is always giving me hell about my kids"

"Oh. But that’s because _my kids_ are cool Harrington, not like yours"

Because his kids are _amazing_. Cute and fierce and smart (well, Caleb tends to get a little distracted –usually in the most endearing, childish kind of way– but Billy knows how to handle him by now). Not like the bunch of nerds Steve carries around, except for Max and that Hopper kid.

Just look at how they’re defending him. 

"Sorry kids," Steve says and Billy can hear the smile in his voice. He lets go of Billy’s arms, his hands coming to rest on Billy’s shoulders instead, soft and warm, and Billy feels his cheeks getting hot, feels himself blushing even if he’s trying so hard not to. “You have an amazing teacher" and he sound _so honest_ when he adds "I was just trying to help"

Tara and Lee look at each other in disbelief, Holy twist her mouth to the side, unconvinced. And Billy may be blushing despite his best efforts but at least his kids are the coolest, the most badass assholes in the whole fucking state. His little army of doom. 

Billy may love them a bit. 

He’s going to let them do the whatever the fuck they want for the rest of the class as soon as Steve fucks off to gather his babies or whatever he's doing in here.

"Are you done, Harrington? We're in the middle of a class"

"Sure I am" Steve's hands squeeze, and Billy feels his muscles twitch under his palms "Heather must be waiting for me. She's gonna show me around" he says, pulling away, leaving Billy cold in all the places their bodies were touching.

"Show you around for what?"

"Oh. Didn't she tell you? I'm working here for the rest of the summer"

Oh. Oh?. _Oh_. She _did_ tell him. Tell him she had a _little surprise_ for him, the asshole. And now Billy's having a small heart attack. Nothing serious. Just his heart stopping dead at the center of his chest. 

"I'll be around, so, you know, tell me if you need any tips or something" Steve waves a hand at the kids, nods at Billy.

Billy watches him take to the steps and slide out of the pool.

He tries to sound as casual as he can. Act as he's still cool even if he's flailing inside.Shouts.

"Maybe I will!!"

Steve turns around, walks a few steps backwards and _Jesus Christ_ he _smiles_.

Maybe he'll _really_ do. Not that he needs it but, you know.

_You know._

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://withoneheadlight.tumblr.com/)! <3


End file.
